Violin-key.



H. HARMER.

VIOLIN KEY. APPLICATION-FILED APR. 7,-1909.

7 PatentedNov. 23, 1909.

TTORN EYS @NTTED %TA HENRY HARMER, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

VIOLIN-KEY.

Specification of Application filed. April '7, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HARMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Violin-Keys and I dohere by declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will. enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved key for musical instruments and isdesigned to provide a key that is adapted particularly for violins,although it can be used on other stringed instruments. The pin of thekey is removable from the opening in which it is placed and is designedto be secured to a plate having fingers to embrace the neck of theinstrument, thus holding the key against twisting, and beingprovidedwith means for manually manipulating the pin so that the strain of thestring on the pin will have a tendency to cause the fingers to turn onthe neck and then will thus be bound.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of the head and part of the neck of aviolin with my improved key in place. Fig. 2 is a face view of the key,and Fig. 3 is a side view of the same showing the neck of the instrumentin section. Fig. 4 is a top view of the key.

The key consists of a plate 10 which is provided on its opposite endswith the fingers 11, which fingers project in substantially parallelrelation, but are preferably curved slightly and if necessary may beprovided with a spring action so that they can be placed overinstruments, the necks of which vary slightly in width. Projecting fromthe plate, in the same direction as the fingers, is a pin 12 which isprovided with a perforation 13 for the reception of a string, which willbe seen from Fig. 3, the key pin being adapted to be inserted the sameas an ordinary violin key. In violin keys as now made, they are madetapered with a fingerpiece on the end and very often slip after a stringis tightened, and if made tight enough so that they do not accidentallyslip are then hard to manipulate when it is necessary to Let n PatentedNov. 23, 1909.

Serial No. 488,445.

turn the key slightly to tighten or loosen the string.

The present key is adapted to make an easy operation of the tuning of aninstrument, and is adapted to be placed on any instrument as now madewith the ordinary straight tapered key. The pin 12 projects through theplate 10 and is provided with a small cog or worm-gear 14 which mesheswith a worm 15 which is supported between the bearings 16 which arepreferably struck up integral with or may be attached to the plate 10.The worm 15 is on a shaft 17 which has a finger piece 18 of any desiredconfiguration or shape, the finger-piece be ing adapted to operate theworm and the worm in turn being adapted to turn the worm-gear 14. Itwill be seen that when the string is put in the hole 13 of the key andis tightened, the tension of the string will have a tendency to twistthe pin, and the pin being fastened to the plate by reason of itsworm-gear and worm connection, transmits its strain to the plate, andthe fingers 11 are thus brought to bear tightly on the top and bottom ofthe neck 19 of the instrument as shown in Fig. l and as shown in Fig.

The fingers 11 keep the key from being accidentally misplaced and takeany strain that is apt to cause binding of the pin in the perforationfrom the pin, and these fingers, by binding on the edge of the head ofthe instrument, permit the free turning of the pin in its perforation.

If desired I may provide the pin 12 with its projecting end split as at20, this split nating in a perforation 21, this pin being preferable insome ways, it being easier to put the string in the hole 21 by passingit through the slit, than it would be by threading the string throughthe perforation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A detachable keyfor stringed instruments comprising a plate having fingers projectingfrom its top and bottom edge, the fingers projecting in the samedirection, a pin projecting from the plate between the fingers and inthe same direction, a wormgear on the end of the pin, a worm engagingthe worm-gear, and a finger-piece on the worm for operating it.

2. A detachable key for stringed instruextending part way into the pinand termiinents comprising a plate having integral fingers projectingfrom its top and bottom edges, the fingers being slightly curved towardeach other and projecting from the plate in the same direction, bearingsintegral with the plate and projecting from the front thereof, a wormmounted between the bearings, a finger piece to operate the worm, aworm-gear 0n the face of the plate and in 10 mesh with the worm, and apin secured to the worm-gear and projectingthrough and beyond the platebetween the fingers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my handthis 5th day ol. April 1909.

HE N Y HA RM Ell.

Vitnesses Wm. H. Canrncm), E. A. PELL.

